About the School

Welcome from the Head of School

Introduction

The School of Social and Life Sciences is passionate about the needs of society whether that be education, health, social care, the environment or the justice system. Its academic and support team are dedicated to their students, making sure they are fully supported and giving every opportunity to go out and make a difference to people.

Excellent links with industry and public services in the region give the School the opportunity to secure a wide variety of work placements for students giving them a variety of experience. The team themselves have a wealth of experience in industry and practice and use their partnerships and expertise to advise and assist organisations in the region. These partnerships are central in ensuring that all programmes are fit for purpose and provide the highest possibility of employment and career progression.

The School is also able to work in a multi-disciplinary way on projects and guiding best practice. The team are ambitious and pioneering in their approach to keep pushing for the best in their sector.

Gaining practical skills and experience in real situations is key to all courses and many of the courses also offer professional accreditations through the teams close working relationships with the British Horse Society, Association of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Federation of Holistic Therapists, British Association of Occupational Therapists, and the British Psychological Society.

The friendly and supportive team fully understand the challenges of balancing study with family and work commitments and class sizes are kept small to ensure that a supportive environment is fostered. Students are able to engage on a journey which takes them from personal development in the early part of their degrees through to professional development as they progress through their course.

Departments

Health, Sport and Complementary Medicine

This portfolio draws together the interdisciplinary themes of physical activity, health, wellbeing, complementary therapies, rehabilitation and injury management and coaching. Working with external partners such as the Football Association for Wales and The Federation of Holistic Therapists, this portfolio has a strong employability focus, linking professional qualifications with full time study.

Lecturers are from a variety of backgrounds and all are experienced in their field. They undertake applied research which develops new partnerships for the University and assists organisations in the area.

Psychology, Pastoral Sciences and Youth and Community

Courses within this area are accredited by their relevant professional body from the psychology degree’s accreditation from the British Psychological Society (BPS) through to the professional qualification received by students on the youth and community programmes which are endorsed by Education Training Standards Wales

From community engagement projects, placement activities, live experiments and research studies, this portfolio engages with the community to enhance students learning experiences and give them practical opportunities to apply their knowledge into real environments.

Wrexham Glyndŵr University is regarded as the “home of youth work in Wales”, having offered education and training to the youth and community sector for more than 39 years. As such the department has excellent links with employers across north Wales, north west England, and the midlands, and it works in partnership with organisations across the statutory, voluntary and third sector.

Keep in touch, find our Psychology team on Twitter and and our youth and community team on Twitter.

Nursing and Counselling and Therapeutic Childcare

This portfolio focuses on part time, professional programmes which align with specific roles within the social care and health sector - from our innovative methods for engaging with post-registration nurses to our blended-learning model for the residential childcare sector. This area harnesses modern technology to upskill and equip the counsellors, social carers, nurses and healthcare workers of tomorrow, responding to the key growth areas identified by the North Wales Economic Ambition Board.

The team have a close working relationship with Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board and health organisations within the region and all have professional leadership and management experience in their sectors.

Gaining practical skills goes hand-in-hand with learning theory on all courses and students are given experience through shadowing and coaching opportunities, work placements and practical sessions utilising the wealth of facilities at the University.

Education, Families and Childhood Studies and Land based Studies

Wrexham Glyndŵr University has substantial experience and a long history of offering education courses. It works in partnership with employers, related organisations and agencies to make sure that the contents of its courses reflect current priorities. Its close partnerships with schools, FE colleges and local education authorities offer placements for students and comprehensive CPD opportunities for teachers.

Courses within the Childhood Studies/Education area at Glyndŵr University were ranked second in the UK and number one in Wales for student satisfaction according to the Complete University Guide 2016.

The Land Based Studies programmes are delivered from the University’s Northop site and are instrumental to delivering significant horticultural, environmental and animal welfare initiatives, linking with national priorities in rural development and business. The University has great links with conservation organisations which give land-based students opportunities to undertake placements and field trips.

Society, Criminology and Social Work

This portfolio focuses on educating the next generation of professionals who aim to make our society a better place. The team have close links with HMP Berwyn and the Care Council for Wales and the lecturers in this area have wide and current experience of working in the criminal justice sector and are research active in the areas of working with offending behaviour, youth justice, women and crime and substance misuse.

The development of students’ critical evaluation and empirical research skills are combined with the understanding that the public sector needs social research skills to influence policy and practice.

Wrexham Glyndŵr University has a long tradition of delivering social work qualifications. The programme is accredited by the Care Council for Wales and is delivered in partnership with Denbighshire, Flintshire and Wrexham unitary authorities. Our popular occupational therapy is accredited by the College of Occupational Therapists and Health and Care Professions Council.